Resilient fastening device



Oct. 1, 1968 A. ASSEO ET AL 3,403,427

RESILIENT FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1965 INVENTORS 445551 nsssoREA/E y. NEYMA/V Ob M SZZ United States Patent 3,403,427 RESILIENTFASTENING DEVICE Albert Asseo, 26 Rue la Fontaine, Paris, 16c, France,and Ren H. Neyman, 12 Rue Montcalm, Paris 18c, France Filed Mar. 15,1965, Ser. No. 439,852 6 Claims. (Cl. 2473) The present inventionrelates to a resilient fastening device. More particularly, theinvention relates to a fastening device for resiliently fastening afirst portion of material to a second portion of material.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved resilient fastening device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a resilient fasteningdevice which is adapted to be remov-' ably afiixed to first and secondportions of material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilientfastening device of simple structure and great facility and reliabilityin use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a resilientfastening device of facile and inexpensive manufacture.

Another object of the present inevntion is to provide a resilientfastening device for resiliently fastening first and second portions ofmaterial with rapidity, facility, reliability and efiiciency.

In accordance with the present invention, a fastening device forresiliently fastening a first portion of material to a second portion ofmaterial comprises a first end portion adapted to be removably aifixedto the first portion of material and a second end portion adapted to beremovably atfixed to the second portion of material. Each of the firstand second end portions comprises a substantially thin strip of flatmaterial folded over on itself and fastened in folded-over position toform a closed end loop and has a surface coated with adhesive. Aresilient member couples the first and second end portions to each otherand extends between the first and second portions of material. Theresilient member comprises an endless loop of resilient material passingthrough the end loops formed in the first and second end portions.

In order that the present invention may be readily carried into effect,it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the fastening device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, taken along theline 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in use joining firstand second portions of material to each other.

In the figures, the same components are identified by the same referencenumerals.

The .resilient fastening device of the present invention comprises afirst end portion 11 adapted to be removably affixed to a first portionof material 12, a second end portion 13 adapted to be removably affixedto a second portion of material 14 and a resilient member 15 couplingthe first and second end portions to each other and extending betweensaid first and second end portions.

The first end portion 11 comprises a thin strip of material, greatlyexaggerated in thickness in FIG. 2, of rectangular parallelogramconfiguration folded over on itself to form an end loop 16. The foldedstrip portion 11 comprises a first leg 11a and a second leg 11b whichare fastened to each other by any suitable means such as, for example,cement or glue, to close the end loop 16. The first end portion 11 hasan adhesive surface 17, that is, a surface on which there is a coatingof adhesive material. The adhesive material on the surface 17 permitsthe first 3,403,427. Patented Oct. 1, 1968 "ice end portion 11 to beremovably afiixed to the first portion of material 12.

The first end portion 11 may comprise any suitable material such as, forexample, thin pliant material of cellulose, plastic or any natural orartificial fibers. The length of the strip portion 11, extending in thedirection of the arrows 18, the width of said strip portion, extendingin the direction of the arrows 19, and the thickness of the said stripportion 21, may be of desired dimensions to suit the use to be made ofthe resilient fastening device.

At the time that the first end portion 11 is folded over on itself toform the end loop 16 and before the first and second legs 11a and 11b,respectively, thereof are fastened to each other, the endless loop 15 ispositioned in the end loop 16. In other words, the first end portion 11is folded over on itself around the endless loop 15. The endless loop 15comprises resilient material such as, for example, rubber, of anysuitable loop configuration such as, for example, ovular, circular orelliptical configuration.

The second end portion 13 comprises a thin strip of material, greatlyexaggerated in thickness in FIG. 2, of rectangular parallelogramconfiguration folded over on itself to form an end loop 22. The foldedstrip portion 13 comprises a first leg 13a and a second leg 13b whichare fastened to each other by any suitable means such as, for example,cement or glue, to close the end loop 22. The second end portion 13 hasan adhesive surface 23, that is, a surface on which there is a coatingof adhesive material. The adhesive material on the surface 23 permitsthe second end portion to be removably afiixed to the second portion ofmaterial 14.

The second end portion 13 may comprise any suitable material such as,for example, thin pliant material of cellulose, plastic or any naturalor artificial fibers. The length of the strip portion 13, extending inthe direction of the arrows 24, the width of said strip portion,extending in the direction of the arrows 25, and the thickness of thesaid strip portion 26, may be of desireddirnensions to suit the use tobe made of the resilient fastening device. The first and second endportions 11 and 13, respectively, may be identical with each other.

At the time that the second end portion 13 is folded over on itself toform the end loop 22 and before the first and second legs 13a and 13brespectively, thereof are fastened to each other, the endless loop 15 ispositioned in the end loop 22. In other words, the second end portion 13is folded over on itself around the endless loop 15.

The resilient fastening device of the present invention has manyapplications and considerable utility such as, for example, in packingor Wrapping any types or configurations of material, in resilientlymaintaining a bandage or surgical dressing in position on a personwithout slippage regardless of movement of the person, in resilientlymaintaining another type of article such as, for example, a disposablediaper, on a baby, and the like. The first portion of material 12 andthe second portion of material 14 may each be part of a bandage or adressing, or the first portion of material 12 and the second portion ofmaterial 14 may each be part of a disposable apron type article, or thelike.

The first and second portions of material 12 and 14 are resilientlyjoined to each other by first pressing the first end portion 11 with itsadhesive surface 17 against said first portion of material, then pullingthe second end portion 13 away from said first end portion to stretchthe resilient loop 15, and then pressing the second end portion 13 withits adhesive surface 23 against said second portion of material. Thefirst end portion 11 then adheres to the first portion of material 12,the second end portion 13 adheres to the second portion of material 14,and the resilient loop, as a result of elastic deformation,

then applies a sufiicient pressure to draw the first and second portionsof material to each other and thereby maintain said first and secondportions of material in non-slipping relation to each other.

The first and second end portions 11 and 13 may be removably aflixed tothe first and second portions of material 12 and 14 without stretchingthe resilient loop 15, so that said first and second portions ofmaterial may be loosely fastened to each other. By positioning the firstand second end portions 11 and 13 at different distances from eachother, in the direction of. the length thereof, the degree of stretchingand the degree of pressure applied by the resilient loop 15 may bevaried from zero to a maximum.

The resilient fastening device of the present invention may thus performthe functions of any fastening device such as, for example, straightpins, safety pins, buttons and button-holes, snap devices, pressuredevices and the like, with the added advantages of adjustability of thetautness and pressure exerted by the fastening device, facility,rapidity, reliability and efficiency in use of the fastening device,simplicity of structure and facility and economy in manufacture.

Each of the first and second end portions 11 and 13 may comprisematerial of any desired configuration other than that of a rectangularparallelogram such as, for example, triangular, square or othergeometric configuration. Also the resilient loop 15 may be of anydesired configuration and may have any desired cross-sectional shape.

While the invention has been described by means of a specific exampleand in a specific embodiment, we do not wish to be limited thereto, forobvious modifications Will occur to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably affixed to the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably aflixedto the second portion of material, each of said first and second endportions comprising a substantially thin strip of material folded overon itself to form an end loop and having a surface adapted to be affixedto a portion of material and coated with adhesive for alfixing saidsurface to said portion of material, said second end portion beingseparate and spaced from and independent of said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end portions to eachother and extending between said first and second portions of materialand passing through the end loops formed in said first and second endportions.

2. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably affixed to the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably affixedto the second portion of material, each of said first and second endportions comprising a substantially thin strip of material folded overon itself to form an end loop and having a surface adapted to be affixedto a portion of material and coated with adhesive for aflixing saidsurface to said portion of material, said second end portion beingseparate and spaced from and independent of said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end portions to eachother and extending between said first and second portions of material,said resilient member comprising an endles loop of resilient materialpassing through the end loops formed in said first and second endportions.

3. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably affixed to the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably afiixedto the second portion of material, each of said first and second endportions comprising a substantially thin strip of flat material foldedover on itself and fastened in foldedover position to form a closed endloop and having a surface adapted to be afiixed to a portion of materialand coated with adhesive for alfixing said surface to said portion ofmaterial, said second end portion being separate and spaced from andindependent of said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end portions to eachother and extending between said first and second portions of material,said resilient member comprising an endless loop of resilient materialpassing through the end loops formed in said first and second endportions.

4. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably afiixed t0 the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably affixedto the second portion of material, each of said first and second endportions comprising a substantially thin strip of flat material foldedover on itself and fastened in folded-over position to form a closed endloop and having a surface adapted to be afiixed to a portion of materialand coated with adhesive for aflixing said surface to said portion ofmaterial, said second end portion being separate and spaced from andindependent of said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end portions to eachother and extending between said first and second portions of material,said resilient member comprising a rubber band passing through the endloops formed in said first and second end portions.

5. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably aflixed to the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably afiixedto the second portion of material, each of said first and second endportions comprising a substantially thin strip of flat material foldedover on itself and fastened in folded-over position to form a closed endloop and having a surface adapted to be affixed to a portion of materialand coated with adhesive for affixing said surface to said portion ofmaterial, said second end portion being separate and spaced from andindependent of said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end portions to eachother and extending between said first and second portions of material,said resilient member comprising a rubber band of substantially ovalconfiguration passing through the closed end loops formed in said firstand second end portions.

6. A unitary fastening device for resiliently fastening a first portionof material to a second portion of material, said fastening devicecomprising a flexible and pliant first end portion adapted to beremovably afiixed to the first portion of material;

a flexible and pliant second end portion adapted to be removably aflixedto the second portion of material,

6 each of said first and second end portions comprising rial passingthrough the end loops formed in said a substantially elongated thinstrip of flat material first and second end portions. of substantiallyrectangular parallelogram configura tion folded over on itself andfastened in folded-over References Clted position to form a closed endloop and having a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS surface adapted to be affixedto a portion of material and coated with adhesive for affixing saidsurface ga to said portion of material, said second end portion 3695439/1887 i zi being separate and spaced from and independent of 12344637/1917 Haulman 24*17 said first end portion; and

a resilient member coupling said first and second end 10 2,094,2109/1937 Graber' portions to each other and extending between said firstand second portions of material, said resilient BOBBY Primary Exammer'member comprising an endless loop of resilient mate- E- SIMONSEN,Assistant Examiner.

1. A UNITARY FASTENING DEVICE FOR RESILIENTLY FASTENING A FIRST PORTIONOF MATERIAL TO A SECOND PORTION OF MATERIAL, SAID FASTENING DEVICECOMPRISING A FLEXIBLE AND PLIANT FIRST END PORTION ADAPTED TO BEREMOVABLY AFFIXED TO THE FIRST PORTION OF MATERIAL; A FLEXIBLE ANDPLIANT SECOND END PORTION ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY AFFIXED TO THE SECONDPORTION OF MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONSCOMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY THIN STRIP OF MATERIAL FOLDED OVER ON ITSELFTO FORM AN END LOOP AND HAVING A SURFACE ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO APORTION OF MATERIAL AND COATED WITH ADHESIVE FOR AFFIXING SAID SURFACETO SAID PORTION OF MATERIAL, SAID SECOND END PORTIONS BEING SEPARATE ANDSPACED FROM AND INDEPENDENT OF SAID FIRST END PORTION; AND